


Hi, I Think You Stole My Heart

by RiaInArmour, ThtGrnGntlmn



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Magic, One Shot Collection, Post-Battle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2018-10-10 19:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10445160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiaInArmour/pseuds/RiaInArmour, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThtGrnGntlmn/pseuds/ThtGrnGntlmn
Summary: A series of Malec one shots.Chapter 5:Magnus hadn't seen or heard from Alec for almost a full year, so when he unexpectedly sees his ex-boyfriend in their old, favorite café with another man, Magnus isn't sure what to do.





	1. Magnificent Magnus' Flower Emporium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From a writing prompt found on Tumblr, Magnus owns a flower shop when one day a very befuddled Alec comes into the shop, looking for a specific set of flowers.

The soft yellow glow of the lights illuminated the tiny shop as Magnus flipped a page in his book. He heaved a sigh and his thoughts began to wander from the bland pages.

The day had started out normally. The rusty hinges of the door had greeted him with a familiar twinkle of wind chimes when he walked into his shop. He flicked on the lights and started to attend to his flowers. Magnus easily filled an old watering can, watered some sad lilies. Next, he added fertilizer to a couple pots of daisies. At nine he turned the sign on the door to the ever-so enticing 'Come On In, We're Open!' and sat behind the counter, reading a novel and stopping every so often to greet and aid customers in their floral pursuits. Magnus could have said that the highlight of his day had been when a sweet old woman hobbled into his shop, very determined, and asked him if he had a bouquet of carnations that she could give to her granddaughter, since she was graduating from high school. The old lady had pinched his cheek once he had something arranged for her and said he was a 'such a nice, handsome man.' A laugh had escaped from his lips when the woman had said that, and he thanked her gracefully. Once finished, he returned the novel, per usual.

That's how his days usually went, though. Customers filtering in and out; not many, but just enough.

If Magnus hadn't been so enraptured by his book, he might've noticed the chimes, signifying a new customer. Without warning, a hand slammed down a crinkled twenty dollar bill right in front of him. Magnus, startled, looked up from his book to a very tall, and very--dare he say--delicious man standing in front of him.

"Alright," said the man. "How do I passive-aggressively say 'fuck you' in flower?" 

Magnus' brow raised slowly in surprise. He let himself think for a moment before responding. "What exactly is the occasion?" Magnus queried, making his way around the counter. 

The tall, devastatingly _gorgeous_ man crossed his arms over his chest, defensive. "Is that really relevant? They're just flowers." 

Magnus released a small sigh and twirled around, perusing through the fauna. "Well, there are certain flowers that mean certain things," he explained. "For instance, a white carnation. A symbol of innocence. And pure love. Or, take this: a yellow hyacinth. A symbol of true jealousy... And, of course, a red rose: passionate love." Magnus paused to turn back to the man standing at his counter. "So really, you have to be more specific, if you want an accurate representation of your... feelings."

The man moved as if he were about to make some smart remark towards Magnus, but thought better of it. Magnus waited patiently for the man to speak. During this time, Magnus took some pleisure in drinking in the piece of art that stood in front of him. Easily over six feet tall, the man stood very promptly. Almost soldierly. His shoulders were tensed, poised to take off at a moment's notice. The man's muscles were outlined in his well-fitted shirt, which remained untucked. The dark hair atop his head was unkempt, with strands heading every which way; however, it seemed as if every strand was where it wanted to be. The man's facial features were young; no older than his late twenties. Although, the bags under his dark eyes begged to differ. 

Eventually, the silence got to the man. Just as Magnus knew it would.

"Okay, fine," the mysterious man said. "I need this bouquet of flowers for my dad's engagement party, and I really don't want to go, but it's pretty much _necessary_ for me to go. So I really want something that shows my strong dissatisfaction for his marriage. "

Magnus didn't speak for a moment while sifting through flowers. "If I am not mistaken, you feel some sort of hatred, disappointment, and/or loathing towards this event?" 

The man nodded. 

Magnus rolled his inventory over in his mind and simpered at the tall figure waiting at the back of the tiny shop. "I think I have just the thing for you." 

After Magnus had thought together a lovely arrangement, he consulted the client in front of him of each flower he chose and their negative connotations ("Meadowsweet  for uselessness, orange lilies for hatred, yellow carnations for disappointment, and peonies for anger.") The man voiced his approval with an adorable smile and an amused, "Sounds perfect."

Finally, Magnus brought the both of them back to the old counter. "When would you like the bouquet ready by?" 

The man responded, "Uh, at six tonight. Should I pick them up earlier or...?"

"I'll call you when they're ready. Which, reminds me..." Magnus pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "I need a phone number to contact you." 

The man complied and provided a number. 

"And a name?"

"Oh, um Lightwood. Alexander Lightwood." 

"Alexander," Magnus mused. "Such a... regal name." 

A slight blush crept onto  _Alexander's_ cheeks. "Please, just call me Alec. Alexander feels too formal."

Magnus shrugged. "Maybe to  _you_." He didn't continue on with the subject. "Anyhoo, your arrangement will be finished soon. I'll call when it is."

"Amazing, thank you," Alec smiled. "You do not know how much this means to me." 

Magnus only shrugged once more. With that, Alec nodded at Magnus and turned to exit the shop. Right before he left, Magnus spoke out. "Come back and tell me what happens!" He watched Alexander march out of the small shop and chuckled to himself before resuming his book.

 

\----------------

 

Magnus was reading another book when Alec Lightwood entered his absolutely tiny shop again a few days later. The chimes clinged together whimsically, which was what brought Magnus to his senses. When he saw that it was Alec, he smiled, obviously not really expecting for a follow through on the party details. 

"Alexander," Magnus stated,"what a surprise."

Alec shrugged. "It's a surprise for you as much as it is for me." He approached the counter confidently, despite the words that had just left his mouth. "While the meaning behind the bouquet may have went over both of their heads, the overall message was never missed. So I guess it's a win for me." Alec chuckled. 

Magnus simpered. "Glad I could be of service to you."

The air was, what could only be described as, electrified. While it wasn't intense, the room also wasn't completely still. Magnus felt it very deeply, and was certain Alec did, too.

"Listen," Alec said after a short pause, "I'm not really sure what brought me back here, but, um... And this is totally unlike me... I was thinking--maybe--you would be interested in, uh, going out... sometime...?"

Magnus' smile grew bigger as he watched Alec become more and more flustered, heat rising to his cheeks in such an adorable manner.

Magnus gave himself a handful of seconds to savor the moment. Then: "I thought you would never ask."


	2. After The Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec returns home from a hard fight where a worried Magnus takes care of his battle scars :')

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, um. Been a while. Whoops. Anyways, here's a cute little doohickey bc I'm in love w domestic malec. And magnus and alec taking care of each other. <3 Enjoy

Alec lay down on the couch slowly, his skin battered with cuts and bruises. His whole body screamed in agony with every infinitesimal movement. He allowed a small groan to pass his lips as he adjusted his back to a somewhat comfortable position. Magnus stirred from the bedroom, seeing as Alec hadn’t entered discreetly.

"Alexander?" Magnus mused into the quiet night, sleep filling his voice. When Alec didn't respond, Magnus called out again. "Alexander?" Magnus rounded the corner and spotted the crumpled ball on the couch. "Alexander!"

Magnus rushed over immediately, taking hold of Alec's hand, fussing over battle scars and purple patches.

Alec managed a smirk that quickly became a grimace. "Hey, Magnus," he whispered, feigning a smile.

"Oh, Alexander, my sweet, are you alright?"

Alec chuckled, the movement resulting in another moan. "I'm peachy." He gingerly rolled onto his side. "Never been better."

Magnus made a chastising 'tsk' sound as he inspected every exposed patch of skin as well as the skin hiding under loose fabric. "I think I know just the spell for this." Magnus snapped and blue sparks ignited from his fingertips. With a gentle wave of his hand, he moved the light up and down his boyfriend's bruised body. "My little sugar plum, what happened? I thought this was supposed to be a routine demon brawl."

"Key words: 'supposed to'." Alec winced. "After everything that's happened with Jace and Clary and Izzy and Max... things like 'routine' have been thrown out the window. Not to sound cliché, but-" he inhaled sharply, "-everything is changing. For the better or worse, who's to say." It came out as more of a statement than a question. 

Magnus paused and pondered for a moment before replying, his hands and eyes still at work. "For as long as I've been alive, the one thing I can say is that at the time of change,  _nothing_ is guaranteed. Everything is still up in the air, and no one really knows... which way is up. As far as I know, the best way to deal with change is to face it head on. With a full decanter of whiskey."

Alec rolled his eyes, but said nothing back. He sat back and stared at Magnus as he did his magic. His brow furrowed in concentration, which was always something that Alec thought was absolutely adorable. A fleeting urge passed over Alec, where he wanted to rub away the folds from Magnus' face. He hated causing Magnus stress.

Alec began to really look at the warlock then. His hair was a mess, a thing Alec found endearing, but Magnus would label it as 'deplorable.' His face was a little unshaven, with his usually sharp goatee having a less harsh fade away into skin. His face was free of makeup, which always made Alec smile. There was something about seeing his face bare and clean that made Alec feel special.

" _Hel-lo_ ," Alec annunciated; Chairman Meow had finally decided to make an entrance by jumping right into Alec's line of vision. After inspecting for a moment, Chairman padded  up and plopped down on Alec's chest. Alec let out an 'oomph' sound, a sharp pain blossoming in his sternum.

" _Chairman_ ," Magnus chided. The cat looked at Magnus for a moment in disdain, but leaped to the floor nonetheless. 

After a few more moments, the blue sparks extinguished. "All done!... For now. As long as you take it easy for the next few hours, you should be right as rain within a day or so." Magnus simpered.

Alec returned the simper, sitting up. "Thank you."

Magnus placed his hand on the shadowhunter's cheek, rubbing small circles into his skin. Alec leaned into the touch. "It is absolutely no problem, Alexander. Now, you could probably use a good mug of chamomile; I'll go make some."

While Magnus shuffled around his kitchen, Alec took in his surroundings. The fire was a gentle roar, with several  _crackle, crackles_ here and there. Burning wood filled his nostrils, as well as the scent that was uniquely--Magnus. Alec's back sank into the couch behind him, easing his aching bones. He could hear his boyfriend milling about his cabinets and stove to make what would most likely be a perfect cup of tea. He could see the tidy living area around him, with the coffee table having a few magazines and books scattered about, yet not in a messy way. In the bookshelves, all the trinkets were in the right spots. Throw blankets and pillows were perfectly folded and fluffed. This loft appeared to be straight out of some furniture catalog, though he knew better.

Magnus returned shortly, a large cup of steaming leaf-water in his hands. Chamomile wasn't Alec's favorite. In fact, tea wasn't really his, well, cup of tea. However, whenever Magnus makes some, Alec always likes it. This time around, Magnus added a dash of lavender, which was noticeable right away. As soon as he took a sniff, Alec felt a wave of calm fall over him. After taking a few drinks, Alec was feeling even more tired than he already did.

Magnus chuckled softly as the younger boy became more and more drowsy. "Would you like to go to bed now, my sunflower?"

Alec nodded lazily, as hazy look in his eyes. Magnus laughed again as he pulled him to his feet. Alec relied heavily on Magnus' shoulder to guide him to the bedroom. Slowly, yet surely, the battle-beaten boy was laid down onto the plush bedding, and was easily stripped down to his boxers. With a flick of his hand, Magnus comfortably adjusted the blankets over Alec's body and joined him in rich, blood-colored sheets. He brushed stray hairs off of his boyfriend's forehead with a very delicate touch. 

Some minutes later, after some comfortable silence, Alec spoke. "Thank you, Magnus. I don't know what I would do without you." His words slurred together.

Magnus shook his head with a giggle. "Your siblings would be the one bandaging you up, and you would have to wait  _much_ longer to feel better again."

Alec made a "hmph" sound, yet didn't oppose. A couple more seconds passed before: "I love you."

"I love you, too, Alexander."

Soon after, Alec and Magnus were snoring softly, wrapped up in each other's arms.

 


	3. A Dangerous, Disquieting Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Alec registered was the warmth against his back. A solid mass of heat, it pressed against the ache in his spine from being thrown around in battle. He shuffled closer to it, reveling in the comfort surrounding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another fluffy post-battle scene. i started this forever ago without any intentions of ever actually publishing it so don't think too hard about when it fits into any timeline lmao. kudos to anybody who managed to catch the AFTG reference in the chapter title

The first thing Alec registered was the warmth against his back. A solid mass of heat, it pressed against the ache in his spine from being thrown around in battle. He shuffled closer to it, reveling in the comfort surrounding him. Pressing the side of his face further into the pillow, he inhaled. It smelled like sweet lavender and honey, a heady fragrance so unlike the chokingly masculine scent of his own room in the Institute that it startled him awake. His eyes snapped open, taking in the rich red splashed across the walls and the light streaming in from behind sheer curtains.

Alec’s muscles tensed, and he started to heave himself out from under the thick comforter draped over his lower half. A noise of protest from behind him startled him, the source of heat against his back shifting closer. Alec could now distinguish the feeling of warm, bare skin touching his own shirtless back. Letting out a noise of confusion, mind still fuzzy from sleep, he shuffled away, yelping when he reached the end of the bed and fell to the carpeted ground.

He lay there for a second, groaning at the feeling of his arm waking up from being trapped under his body, and the soreness of his dry throat. A noise from above caught his attention, and he looked up at a head peeking over the edge of the mattress, vision blurred.

“Alexander? What are you doing on the floor?”

Blinking hard, once, twice, Alec’s vision focused enough to make out Magnus’ amused face staring down at him. A blush started in his cheeks, and he knew it was making its way down his chest by the way Magnus’ eyes trailed down to the edge of the blanket still wrapped around his waist. Alec stuttered, tongue feeling too big in his mouth like it always did when talking to the warlock. “W-what? Magnus, what’s going on?”

Magnus reached a hand out to him, and he took it unthinkingly, almost yanking his hand away at the burst of pleasure he got from feeling soft skin against his rough, calloused fingers. Magnus must have seen some of Alec’s inner conflict, because the grip on his hand tightened, and the warlock heaved him up into an almost standing position, half crouched awkwardly over the bed. Their faces were so close together that he could feel their breaths mingling.

Quickly, he straightened up and took a step or two backwards, head clearing the further he got from the intoxicating presence of his...boyfriend?

Magnus sat up in the bed, sheets slipping enticingly down his bare stomach. He had a cautious look on his face, like he didn’t want to scare Alec away, and the Shadowhunter hated that he needed to be handled like he was something fragile. A glance down at himself revealed that he still had boxers on, and an almost imperceptible sigh of relief escaped his body. 

“Nothing happened, Alexander. You got injured in a fight, so I healed you. You wouldn’t let me leave afterwards, so we fell asleep together. That’s it.”

Alec cast his mind back to the last thing he remembered, frustrated by how difficult it was, but he could already feel his body relaxing at the knowledge that he hadn’t done anything he knew he wasn’t ready for.

“Then why are we…” he trailed off, words dying in the back of his throat.

“Unclothed? Jace and I undressed you so I could heal you, and I got hot in the middle of the night and took off my shirt.” He got off the bed slowly, revealing the pair of sleep pants he was wearing.

Words stuck in the back of Alec’s throat, and he just stared, wide-eyed, at Magnus. A draft of cool air brushed against his skin, and he shivered involuntarily. A pair of warm brown eyes tracked the movement, and he crossed his arms self-consciously.

“Let me make you some tea.”

Alec gaped unattractively. “W-what?”

A smile. “I'll put some clothes out for you while you shower and wash up. They might be a touch small on you,” here Magnus let his eyes drift down Alec’s frame again and the blush that had just started to fade came back in full force, “but I'm sure you'd prefer to be dressed. We can have breakfast after, and I make a mean cup of tea.”

Magnus herded him towards the bathroom, which was just as extravagant as the rest of the house. A towel was shoved in Alec's hands and he was told where the toiletries were, and then Magnus started backing out of the room.

Head spinning from the absurdity and abruptness of the morning, the bathroom seemed suddenly imposing. Alec grabbed at the warlock’s arm, nervous fingers gripping just shy of bruising tanned flesh. “I just...I mean, thank you,” Alec whispered. “For healing me and for, well…” The air felt charged between them, electricity dancing through where they were connected. Alec felt like he couldn't look away from the magic-user.

Magnus smiled gently, stepping away from Alec but squeezing his hand gently for a moment.

“Take your shower. We can talk about what happened last night, and whatever else we deem important. Conversations are better had with food.”

This time, Alec didn't stop him from leaving. He spent a few moments fiddling with the shower nozzles, then undressed as steam wafted from the shower. Once inside, the water beat steadily against his skin and sluiced away the tension in his shoulders.

Alec fumbled over the bottles decorating the ledges. Magnus had pointed them out, but was he just being polite or was he really okay with Alec using his things? He shook the thought from his head like the water droplets from his hair. Despite the short amount of time that the warlock had been allowing him into his life, he had never known him to say things he didn't believe just to pacify another. Cracking open a bottle of shampoo, he dumped some on his hands and slid it through his hair. The same floral scent from the bedroom filled the air, and he relished in it, smiling at the warmth in his chest.

The promise of breakfast and spending some time with Magnus hurried him. Alec finished his shower and wandered out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around his waist. Magnus had laid a change of clothes on a chair near the bed, and Alec slipped them on quickly.

The shirt fit him alright, just a little tight around the shoulders, but the sweatpants were several inches too short as Magnus had predicted. His ankles were bare, and it made him feel strangely naked.

Alec walked out of the bedroom and toward the kitchen. He could hear Magnus wandering around the kitchen and followed the smell of food cooking. Magnus stood over the stove, scrambling eggs in quick, efficient movements. Alec leaned against the wall, soaking in the view and letting the feeling of domesticity settle in.

Magnus hadn't bothered to put on a shirt, and his own sweatpants hung low on his hips. He took the opportunity to reciprocate the admiring gazes from earlier, wondering at how comfortable he felt. He could have never have predicted being so casual with another man, much less a downworlder. Magnus turned around to grab the plates he had set on the counter, and smiled when he noticed Alec.

“Hey! There's ketchup and cheese for the eggs in the fridge if you want and you can just sit at the table. Food’ll be ready in a minute.”

Alec settled down at the table, watching as Magnus finished the food and plated it. His stomach rumbled and the next few minutes involved him scarfing the eggs down as fast as he could. 

When he sat back, appetite settled for the moment, his eyes focused in Magnus sitting across from him. Amusement was prevalent in his dark eyes, and he cupped a mug of tea in his hands. Steam wafted up from the contents of the cup and invaded the room with the scent of something herbal. “You were attacked last night, you and Jace.”

Alec startled; he had almost forgotten about the reason for him waking up in Magnus’ bed. “Who was it?” he asked.

“We’re not sure. They didn’t identify themselves while attacking you, and Jace managed to fight them off before getting here. He said your attackers slammed your head against the ground and you passed out.”

Nodding his head absently, Alec tried to force the frustration he felt out of his mind. He hated not being able to remember what had happened to him, and it was important that he figure out who had tried to take him and Jace out.

He could feel Magnus watching him as he filtered through the flashes of memory from the previous night. A wordless growl rattled in his throat when there was nothing of importance that he could recall.

They settled into the quiet. Alec fidgeted; now that he knew what had happened last night, he wanted to talk about what had happened that morning. The water dripping incessantly from the faucet sounded absurdly loud in the silence of the room.

Alec broke the silence first. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but he did want some things answered. “What are we doing?”

To Magnus’ credit, he didn’t play deliberately obtuse. “Alexander, we both know that however we define our relationship is up to you. I can tell you that I haven’t felt this way in a long time, but I won’t do anything that you’re not comfortable with.”

A tightness present in his throat, Alec grabbed the cup of tea Magnus presented him with. It burned on the way down. Alec wasn’t cultured enough to distinguish what kind of tea it was, but it tasted better than the kind Izzy made for him.

Alec wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so out of his depth. He was used to the smoothness and ease of fighting, for using his body as a weapon had always come easier to him. This conversation with Magnus felt like it should be easy like most things with him were, but his own inexperience with confronting his feelings was making this more difficult than he had imagined. “I-I’d still like to go on that date. I know neither of us really have the most open schedules, but, um, I really like you too?”

He hadn’t really meant for it to sound like a question, but he was proud of himself for getting it out. Alec ran a hand through his hair, still damp and lying flat on top of his head. Breath whooshed out of him, relief filling the spots in his lungs the air had just vacated. He had had this conversation with Magnus before, but it felt different after waking up in his bed practically naked.

Magnus chuckled, face lighting up. He laid his hand on the tabletop, palm up. Alec grabbed it hesitantly but relaxed when Magnus squeezed his hand tight.

“Have some more tea, Alexander. Jace will no doubt be knocking on my door soon, and I’d like to spend some more time together beforehand.”

Neither released their grip on the other’s hand as they finished their drinks.


	4. Gun Fights And Amusing Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modernistic-AU-Malec have a fun-filled date, involving arcade games and laser tag.

The laser tag arena was crowded; everything about the place gave off a surreal vibe. There were constant _pings_ and _dings_ from all the arcade games off to the side of the room. The smell of popcorn and greasy pizza wafted through the air from the food counter. People lined the walls as they waited their turn to play a short game with friends, but--luckily--Alec had purchased premium tickets that allowed Magnus and himself to bypass the irritated queue, as well as take an unlimited amount of turns. It may have cost him a pretty penny, but that’s something Magnus wouldn’t know.

As they geared up, Alec didn't really listen to all of the things the speaker had to say; the vest was quite similar to a military-grade vest he had worn during training. Heavy, thick, and sturdy. The only difference is that it had little detectors woven on top of it, supposedly to detect the lasers. Alec quickly glanced over his shoulder to watch his boyfriend flippantly follow instructions; he easily slung the vest over his shoulders and strapped himself in. Alec, already in a playful mood, spun Magnus in close to tighten the straps. Magnus smirked but did nothing more than smooth his hands over Alec’s chest.

“You ready?” He kept Magnus close to him.

“To win, yes,” Magnus nipped mischievously.

Alec rolled his eyes but said nothing more; he held onto his boyfriend tightly as they waited for further instruction.

Once the very bored attendant finished droning on, teams were chosen, each person being “shot” in the chest with a signifying laser. Alec slid his hand down to Magnus’, yet Magnus pulled back. Alec’s face was one of confusion.

“Oh, you thought we would be on the same team?” He chuckled.

Alec put a hand to his chest, in mock-offense. “I’m hurt. We’re always a team!”

Magnus smiled alluringly before shifting forward to the Green Team line. Alec chortled to himself before moving to join the Red Team line.

_Red and Green. Complementary colors, as Clary would say._

After everyone had been assigned to their respectful team and taken their places in the playing arena, a fifteen minute clock began the countdown dramatically before all hell broke loose. Alec’s immediate search for Magnus had started--sure, he was playing to win, however, he was determined to get back at Magnus for not being on the same team as him.

The game played on easily for Alec, given his military background. Anyone on the opposite team who even so much as looked in his direction were shot down with his red laser with ultimate precision. Of course, it was different from an actual gun, but the only real differences were a lack of a safety button, it’s weight, and the fact that it didn’t shoot actual bullets, so Alec adapted quickly. He slowly engrossed the attention of the Green Team as a sort of Public Enemy; anytime he were to shoot someone, there would be a groan or a “Not fair, man!”

Alec didn’t care. Nor did the rest of his teammates.

Somehow, though, he had yet to see Magnus in the dark room. Now he was determined to find the two-timing sonofabitch and give him a fight to remember.

After knocking out three more of the Green Team for what appeared to be the umpteenth time, Alec finally found him; he was hiding behind a pillar, acting as a sniper when the moments provided themselves. Crouching his very tall frame behind the stout hiding places, Alec advanced forward till he found himself almost face-to-leg with Magnus.

He pointed his gun up at his boyfriend’s stoic face, grabbing his attention.

“Hey, babe,” he simpered, innocent. Gracefully, Alec jumped to his feet, bowing his head down to meet Magnus’ eyes.

“Are we going to have a _tête-à-tête_?” He queried.

Alec rolled his eyes playfully. “Maybe later.” His voice dropped low as he leaned closer to the beautiful man in front of him. “We can talk about how you betrayed me.”

Magnus’ eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. “Betray you? Darling, I would never-”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

Magnus comfortably complied. They smiled against each other’s lips, happily consumed in a little moment of calm in a room teeming with cacophony. Alec’s smile, however, unexpectedly shifted from a smile to a smirk. Before Magnus could chalk this sudden change in behavior to something not quite appropriate for public, Alec shot Magnus right on a detector. A loud whining noise erupted from the pack on Magnus’ vest as a computerized voice declared, “Direct hit!”

Magnus, shocked, broke off the kiss. Alec, pleased with himself, pulled away smoothly with a skip to his step.

“Oh, you little shi-”

“Ah, ah, ah.” Alec put a finger to his lips. “Children are here.” He grinned cunningly. Alec started hastily, Magnus chasing after him.

Having only thirty seconds left, Alec spent the remaining time running about, and dodging Magnus’ advances. In the end, Magnus--in a vicious attempt--latched onto him right as the clock hit zero, and Alec held on. The two chuckled to each other and nudged their heads together before letting go. Everyone in the confined room filed out one by one and gathered round a big screen to the left of the doors revealing the final scores of the teams. The Green Team had lost to the Red Team by 105 points. Magnus looked to Alec with a shake of his head, but Alec only shrugged.

“Could’ve been on my team if you wanted.”

“Don’t remind me,” Magnus laughed.

There was beat.

“Do you wanna play again?”

“Of course.”

The pair remained in their gear as they waited for the next pool of people to fill up the caged-in prep room.

“I feel,” Magnus began, sizing up the the newcomers, “that this would be a fun game for anyone from the Institute.”

Alec glanced around once. He was at least a head taller than the tallest kid there. “Yeah, probably. What made you think that?”

Magnus stroked his chin. “Oh, nothing. Maybe we could have a fun game with everyone some time. Have a party. Us plus Izzy, Jace, Clary and a few others… like that one friend of Clary--Samuel?” Magnus checked over his finely manicured nails, an inquisitive furrow in his brow.

“Close enough.” Magnus looked up. “It’s Simon.”

Magnus made a noise of understanding before pulling out his phone and holding his boyfriend’s hand with his free one.

Alec considered it for a moment. _That doesn’t sound half bad_.

At that moment, the attendant called everyone to the front of the door again, assigning teams. Alec looked over his shoulder at Magnus. “Wanna be on my good side this time?”

Magnus grinned devilishly. “Just this once.”

They entered the playing arena, side by side, bracing themselves for the oncoming storm.


	5. Our Old, Favorite Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5:  
> Magnus hadn't seen or heard from Alec for almost a full year, so when he unexpectedly sees his ex-boyfriend in their old, favorite café with another man, Magnus isn't sure what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got this prompt from my friend so I hope you enjoy :)  
> \--------------------------  
> "You’ve avoided me for years and I don’t know why, but I just saw you sitting in our favorite place and was gonna talk to you, but you’re with this other person and are you on a date? Oh God, you are I’m gonna leave."

He was on his way to help a client when he saw them. Him.

Alec sat outside of a Parisian-themed café on a petite metal chair. The coffee cup he held looked too small against his spindly fingers. A smile spread across his face, as he sipped away at what was presumably his favorite dark roast.

Magnus stopped in his tracks, completely awestruck. It had been nearly a year since he had seen the dark-haired Shadowhunter. Ever since they… he couldn’t bring himself to think of the horrid words.

The warlock shook himself from his daze, still perplexed. Alexander Lightwood was less than 50 feet away from him, and all the High Warlock of Brooklyn could do was stare. Centuries old, and yet he continued to find himself totally in awe of the man in front of him. Finally, Magnus, pulling himself fully out of his stupor, regained composure. He adjusted his shiny, navy suit jacket and jay-walked his way across the street to meet Alec.

“Alexander!”

The younger man looked up unexpectedly from his cup, a furrow in his brow. Magnus lingered further away than he wanted to, since he felt coming closer would be crossing some boundary that had formed over the long, cold months apart. 

“Magnus?”

The Shadowhunter looked different close up. He seemed warmer; his skin seemed tanner and there was a light in his eyes the warlock hadn’t seen before. Something akin to peace.

The wrinkle by his eyes faded away when he realized who stood in front of him. “Hey, uh…” Alec gazed up at the warlock, the glint in his eye very unrecognizable to Magnus. Like he was studying him. “What’s up?”

Magnus dusted off the the question’s formality and the odd stare that sent chills down his spine. “Oh, nothing, just was going to visit a client a few blocks away and then I saw you. I thought I’d come say hello.” He fiddled with his ear cuff as he looked off in the distance. “So how are you?” Magnus peered over his shoulder with nonchalance.

Alec smiled politely. “I’m… well. Spent a few months at the Madrid Institute--for purely diplomatic reasons, of course. Brought back some, uh, transfers…” The Shadowhunter trailed off with a glance across the table.

Magnus remembered there was a second person who also sat with Alexander and directed his attention the other Shadowhunter.

A devilishly handsome man with a fair few of wicked scars battering his face gingerly sat on his chair. A mess of blond hair fell in his hazel eyes as he peered at Magnus under his lashes.

“Magnus, this is Ángel . He’s one of the recruits from the Madrid Institute.”

Ángel  stuck out his hand. Magnus took it and shook firmly. “ Mm, how… fitting. I’m Magnus Bane. ”

“ Ángel.”  His accent was unfairly tantalizing, and his English appeared impeccable on top of that. “How do you two know each other?”

The Shadowhunter and the warlock spoke simultaneously.

“It’s a long story-”

“From work-”

Ángel raised an eyebrow. “So… which one is it?”

“It’s a long story, from work,” Alec supplied, giving Magnus a sort of side-eye. Magnus fidgeted with his rings.

“Speaking of,” Magnus said, shaking out the awkward atmosphere, “Are you showing Ángel here the ropes? After all, New York is quite the place to experience.”

“A little overwhelming if you ask me,” Ángel commented.

Magnus laughed lightly.

“I guess I could say the same about Madrid.”

Both Shadowhunters shared some knowing look that Magnus couldn’t--nor wouldn’t--bother to decipher. 

“Really, though, he picks things up pretty quickly; he’s done nothing but amaze me these past few weeks.”

Magnus was unsettled by Alec’s diction. Far too outlandish. Dreamy. 

Ángel giggled, “I suppose it’s because I have a fantastic tutor?”

Alec smiled down into his empty coffee cup. Magnus, putting two and two together, inhaled sharply.

“I see,” were the next words whispered under his breath. He chortled good-naturedly, as to not arouse suspicion. “It seems I’ve interrupted something. I won’t hold you two up.” The warlock pivoted on his heel, needing to go see his client sooner rather than later. Before he left he snuck a glance over his shoulder.

“It was good seeing you, Alexander.”

 

- - - -

 

As soon as Magnus made it back to his apartment, he immediately poured himself a drink. At first he had been drinking sophisticated wines, but soon switched to mostly-vodka martinis instead. He couldn’t stop the memories that washed over him like a tsunami.

 

_ “I’m not following.  _ What  _ exactly are you supposed to mean by that?” _

_ Alec threw his hands up in the air. “Well, we  _ are _ different. There’s a very distinct line between us.” _

_ “Is it that I have magic? Is it my demon blood? Because I thought we had discussed this ages ago. It doesn’t matter-” _

_ “No, Magnus!” His voice rang in the wide room. Magnus was taken aback at Alec’s abrasive tone. “It’s not about that.” _

_ There was a beat of silence. “Then, what, Alexander? Surely it’s something manageable. If it’s a certain habit I have, then I’ll be more than willing to work on it if that means you’ll-” _

_ “Magnus.” Alec held onto the ancient man’s shoulders. “It’s nothing you can change.” Alec waited for a rebuttal from the warlock, but received none. “It’s your immortality.” _

_ “... My immortality? What’s so wrong with that?” _

_ The Shadowhunter took his boyfriend’s hands in his own. “You have lived for  _ hundreds _ of years. You’ve lived through peace, war, famine, disease… You’ve lived a thousand lives. And I’ve only lived this one… I’ve been thinking, and I mean I have been turning this over in my head for so long, but--what is the point?  _ What _ is the point in  _ us _?” _

_ Magnus was lost for words. It took a few seconds for him to gather something to say. “‘ _ What  _ is the  _ point in us _?’ Alexander, you can’t possibly have been thinking this whole time that what we’re doing is some sort of mistake, can you?” _

_ Alec shook his head. “Of course not, Magnus. I’ve never thought that, from the very start. What I’m getting at is…” _

_ The older man waited; his Shadowhunter seemed to be grasping at words he couldn’t find. _

_ “I don’t see how this is going to work in the end. You’re immortal. And I’m mortal. Someday, I’m going to be old and grey, and then I’ll be gone, but you’ll live on, looking the same as you do right now. I just don’t think it’s fair for either of us to put ourselves through that--that pain.” _

_ Magnus’ felt his heart drop to his stomach. “Alexander…” _

_ Alec let Magnus’ hands drop to his side. “I can’t do that to you. Or myself.”  _

_ The warlock felt the tears form in his eyes. “Alexander--please. Don’t do this.” _

_ He saw the Shadowhunters’ chin wobble minutely--the hurt obvious in how he was holding himself.  _

_ Alec inhaled shakily. “I’m sorry, Magnus,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’m so sorry.” _

 

The warlock was on his third, maybe fourth, glass of vodka when there was a knock on his door. He hastily wiped the tears from his face that escaped during his unpleasant trip down memory lane; he checked his face in a mirror close by and, once pleased with his looks, approached the door and opened it. Much to his surprise, Alec Lightwood, head of the New York Institute, was standing on his doorstep. 

“Alexander?”

“Magnus.” The Shadowhunter seemed just as perplexed as Magnus, if not more, by his actions. “... Can I come in?”

The warlock nodded and stepped aside. Alec slipped through easily, making his way to the living room. 

“You’ve redecorated.”

It’s true, the warlock agreed silently, but only because he broke so many things in those first few, difficult weeks. He ignored the dark-haired man’s comment, not interested in diving into some of his lowest days. “Care for a drink?”

“Uh, no, thank you.”

“Suit yourself,” Magnus breathed, pouring a new kind of alcohol into his glass. He felt off-kilter. Something about this situation was too familiar.

Magnus motioned for Alec to sit on the couch across from him. Alec took the offer with uncertainty, and Magnus followed suit. The room was deadly silent for what felt like eons before either of the men said a word.

“I don’t… really know why I’m here.”

Magnus laughed into his drink. “And here I was, thinking that maybe you had some affairs from the Clave to take care of.” He was only half-lying.

“No. No, I…” Alec trailed away, chewing on his lower lip. “It’s nothing to do with the Clave.”

Slowly, Magnus pieced together why this encounter was so unbearable: this was reminiscent of the day Alec awoke in Magnus’ apartment, after helping with Lucian. Uncomfortable. Strained.

“Then you had better get to explaining, Shadowhunter, because I have much more important things to do than twiddle my thumbs.” Magnus stood from his seat and stalked off to his bedroom, ready to take a  _ long _ night’s sleep. 

“When you came by today…” Alec started.

The warlock stopped in his tracks.

“When you came by… I’ll admit, that was  _ not _ something I had been expecting. You had taken me completely off guard. Ángel and I weren’t--well, we  _ were _ , but it wasn’t supposed to be anything serious.”

Magnus sighed impatiently.

“That’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is that… When I saw you, something hit me. And I didn’t know what it was, and I don’t really know right now--”

“Do you have a point, Alexander?”  Magnus swiveled around, eyebrows raised in anticipation. 

“The point is I miss you.”

The warlock’s breath hitched in his throat.

“I miss you, Magnus. More than I can bear.”

His heart thrummed against his ribcage. He would be surprised if Alec  _ couldn’t  _ hear.

“For almost an entire year, I tried focusing on my career as head of the Institute. Diving into work, giving instructions and leading. Those things are supposed to come naturally to me. But--” Alec inhaled sharply. “But, in everything I did, every order, every decision, every thought--I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Not for one second, Magnus, did you ever leave my head. Not to sound like some sort of rom-com, but you were the first thing on my mind when I woke up, and the last thing that was on it before I went to bed.”

Somewhere in Alec’s monologue he had stood up and closed the space between himself and Magnus, yet Magnus barely noticed; he could hardly register the words leaving the Shadowhunter’s mouth.

“I know this is… a  _ lot _ to take in, but I don’t think I could handle keeping this all inside anymore. Being without you was--is--awful. I can’t speak for you; however, I can speak for myself when I say that these months have been unbearable. There were some days…” He chuckled self-deprecatingly. “There were some days where I physically couldn’t stomach it. Magnus,” the Shadowhunter reached out towards the warlock, who didn’t flinch away; he almost leaned in towards the touch. Almost. “I’ve had a hard time living with myself ever since I made the decision to end this. I  _ thought _ what I was doing was the best for us, yet all that time away from you made me realize that I  _ do  _ need you. And I  _ can’t _ live without you.”

Alec quieted and took a much need breath. Magnus stood, unmoving, mouth zipped shut. 

The younger man brought his hands back to his sides. “Magnus, say something.”

Magnus paused. With a side-step around the tall Shadowhunter, he collected the right words. “So you come up here, with nothing but your charming good looks and an apology, hoping for…  _ what _ ? My forgiveness? After everything I’ve been through in my long life, you of all people should know that after I’ve been hurt, I don’t readily forgive.” 

Alec shook his head. “N-no!” He made a move like he might close the space between them again, but thought differently. “Magnus, I don’t care if we don’t get back together. I don’t even care if you never forgive me; I recognize that what I’ve done is… inexcusable. I just needed to let you know that it’s been eating away at me, and that I’m extremely sorry for whatever pain I’ve inflicted on you.”

When the warlock didn’t answer, Alec dropped his head. “I’ll be on my way, then.” The Shadowhunter stepped towards the door, yet was came short with just a few simple words from Magnus. 

“I forgive you.”

He backed up slowly, not sure he heard correctly. “What?”

“I  _ do _ forgive  _ you _ , Alexander.” Magnus’ voice became soft, unable to stop himself; his emotions were going haywire. “Not your actions, or their repercussions,  _ those  _ will take some time… but your willingness to do the right thing. You’ve always been a straightforward kind of guy, but--I’m not sure the Alexander I knew a year ago would have made such a lavish and overstated apology.” Magnus chortled, a fond smile dancing on his lips. “Nevertheless--I have to admit that I, too, had a few, ah, shortcomings.” He didn’t care to recount those moments to Alec right now. “I remember someone telling me once that, ‘We always find our way back to each other.’ For the longest time I didn’t think it was true. I’m not certain if it was your grandiose apology, Alexander, or something about you just being here when you could be doing something much more important with your life, but I’m starting to think that, perhaps, I’m wrong.”

Alec simpered with a sigh, gravitating towards Magnus. Soon, the two were hardly inches apart--so close, yet so far. “I’m praying to God that you are.”

Magnus laughed. “Which one?” he queried.

The Shadowhunter was grinning at this point, as was the warlock. “All of them.”

As if right on queue, the two men held each other in their arms tightly, like the world would shatter around them if they let go. They stayed that way for a short while, entangled in the embrace, neither ready to leave that little moment of happiness. 

 


End file.
